Hibernian offers 40% costs cut to learner drivers

PROVISIONAL licence holders can save up to 40% on motor insurance costs if they pass a one-day driving test set up by Hibernian insurance company.

Hibernian said motorists will be able to get a reduction of up to 40% on their annual insurance premium if they pass the one-day training course, available under an expansion of the company’s Ignition scheme to provisional drivers.

The company says there is backlog of provisional drivers, up to 380,000, who have to wait more than a year to sit their test and are being penalised with huge insurance costs.

The Hibernian Ignition project, launched three years ago, gives drivers the chance of getting 20-40% off their insurance if they pass the one-day course run by the Institution for Advanced Motoring (IAM). When drivers pass their test, they can apply for additional discounts as full Ignition members. Up to now, this has been restricted to full driving licence holders, but Hibernian has expanded the scheme to suitable provisional drivers.

“Through no fault of their own, these drivers are paying higher rates of motor insurance for a lot longer than they would expect,” said Hibernian Ignition manager Trevor Lowry.

“By expanding Ignition we are giving them the opportunity to demonstrate safe driving skills now, and in return benefit from reduced insurance premiums.”

Anyone looking to take the Ignition course will have to prove that they have applied for the driving test, have a car engine size no greater than 1400cc and pay €70 to the IAM. “If they can prove through a straightforward hour-long assessment that they have got what it takes to pass the driving test, we are prepared to waive the traditional insurance loading for provisional licence holders and offer them significantly cheaper cover,” added Mr Lowry.

Hibernian added it also hoped that giving young drivers the advanced test might prevent further carnage on the roads.

Mr Lowry said the majority of drivers who took the test were men under the age of 30.

Anyone who passes the Ignition course can also get an extra 10% off their insurance if they do not drive between 11pm and 6am - the hours when most car accidents happen.

The advanced test can be taken at centres in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Kilkenny, Waterford, Sligo, Mullingar, Dundalk, Limerick, Gorey and Letterkenny and drivers do not have to be existing customers of Hibernian to take part in Ignition.